Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The Rolling Stones lead a new list of the top 25-selling live acts of the past 25 years, according to music industry magazine Billboard.

The UK rockers top the list after grossing more than $1.5 billion on the road since 1990, playing more than 500 shows to almost 20 million fans.

“Mick Jagger is always going to be the role model,"Jon Bon Jovi told Billboard in a recent interview. "Until [Jagger] hangs up the retirement number, I don't know where the end zone is. I just keep running the ball until Jagger says, 'Here's the goal line.'"

U2 lands in second place, with roughly the same numbers as The Stones; Bruce Springsteen is in third with a $1.2 billion gross over 700-plus shows to 15 million fans; rounding out the top ten are Madonna, Bon Jovi, Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, Celine Dion, Kenny Chesney and The Eagles.

This week, The Rolling Stones launched a series of European dates as part of their 14 On Fire world tour.

Monday’s concert in Oslo, Norway was the group’s first live show since the passing of Jagger’s longtime girlfriend, L’Wren Scott; the band postponed seven shows in Australia and New Zealand following the news - the dates were recently rescheduled for October and November of this year.